The Lion King: Scar's Reign
by sneezeninja
Summary: Ahadi has chosen Scar to inherit the throne, and the land is not doing well under his reign. The animals live in fear of their king, and when Kovu is born, they only hope that his birth will bring about a brighter future...
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, this is my first time writing a fanfic, so pardon me if its really bad ^^" Hope you like this chapter (although its quite short) and remember to review when you're done :D**

As the sun rose over the bleak and desolate African plains, animals of all shapes and sizes made their way to Pride Rock, the home of King Scar and Queen Zira. Their first cub had just been born, and if they didn't pay respects to their future king, King Scar would undoubtedly inflict suffering unto them. There was once an incident where a young buffalo had scoffed at King Scar, saying that Ahadi was a much better king than he was. The buffalo's carcass was found at the foot of Pride Rock merely two days later. Mufasa would be more of a king than Scar was, having the bravery and judgement of a good king, but no animal was foolish enough to voice this out. Hopefully, the next king would bring about better days to the Pride Lands. If he didn't, the land would be doomed.

Rafiki stood at the peak of Pride Rock, gazing into the distance, wondering if this dark and grim land was the same Pride Lands which had been so lush and green just a year before. The wise shaman sighed. Ever since Scar had taken over Ahadi as king, things had gone rapidly downhill. Scar simply didn't have the good judgement and sense of justice that a good king should have. He was too selfish and too caught up in his own superiority to even care about the welfare of the Prideland animals. "Ahadi must have had bees in his brain to even think that Scar could ever be king." Rafiki muttered as he walked over to Scar and Zira who were resting in the den to give the newborn cub his blessings.

"What was that, Rafiki?" Scar purred.

"Nothing, your Highness." Rafiki replied quickly as he smeared a sticky orange goo on the cub, Kovu's forehead. Kovu's pelt was dark-coloured like his father, but he had a tuft of brown fur on his head, just like Mufasa when he was a cub. Rafiki gently scooped up the cub, and walked back out to the peak of Pride Rock, Scar and Zira following closely behind. By this time, the animals had all arrived and taken their respective places at the foot of Pride Rock. As Rafiki raised Kovu up for all to see, the animals made celebratory cries and bowed down to Kovu, their future lion king and King Scar. From this height, Rafiki could see Scar's hyenas racing through the crowd of animals, making sure that every animal was bowing to their king. The hyenas were just an addition to the problems that Scar's reign had brought about. They were savage, greedy, stupid, and all too eager to obey Scar's every command. With the Pridelands being dominated by King Scar and the hyenas, they had no hope of a better life, unless Scar changed his ways, which was less probable than a monkey becoming king, or if Kovu was a better king than his father. Kovu had a bright future ahead of him. Rafiki just hoped that Kovu wouldn't take after his father.

**Please review, it would really be appreciated! :) It would help me improve my writing, and you will get to read better stories :) Virtual cookies for those who reviewed ^^**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks so much for the reviews! :) I'll reply to them shortly after the chapter summary :) In this chapter, we get to know why Ahadi chose Scar as his heir, as well as see what kind of character Scar is. I'll see you at the bottom, now for review replies!**

**Neverlander22: My heart just melted when I read your review, thank you so much for taking time to write that long review! :) I'll definitely keep your tips in mind, and I'm so so glad you like my story! :) As for the Scar and Mufasa thing, everything will be explained in this chapter, so no spoilers ;) **

**Keep Calm And Join Team Loki: Thanks, I've checked out your stories and they're absolutely wonderful! :)**

The ceremony was over. Zira was in the den nursing Kovu, and Scar was resting at the peak of Pride Rock when Mufasa padded over to him.

"Congratulations, Scar. I hope Kovu grows up to be a fine, healthy lion. I'm sure you'll raise him to the best of your abilities." Mufasa dipped his head towards Scar.

"Are you suggesting something, Mufasa?" Scar sneered, narrowing his eyes.

"Its just my sincere congratulations, nothing more." Mufasa replied evenly before going back to his cave.

"I bet Mufasa is just jealous that I became king, not him. Like I always say, when it comes to brains, I got the lion's share, so its only right that I become king, not that brawny Mufasa who has a brain the size of a pea." Scar snarled as soon as Mufasa was out of earshot.

"Mufasa will never be king so long as you're around, and that's fine by me." Zira cooed.

"With my guidance, Kovu will be the best king the Pride Lands has ever seen, second to me of course. No matter how hard he tries, he will never be as good a king as I. I am ten times the king my father was! I am a hundred times the king my brother will ever be!" Scar boasted. With a triumphant roar, he lay back down and gnawed on a nearby gazelle bone.

Mufasa paced around his den, mulling about the past. Scar was sneaky, sly and untrustworthy at best, and he did not have the qualities of a king. Why had Ahadi chosen Scar to be his heir? Mufasa sighed. He guessed it was because of an incident which happened when they were young lions. At that time, the Pride Lands was undergoing a drought, and water was scarce. He had been asked by Scar to get him some water from a waterhole near Pride Rock, and it happened that there was a young buffalo at the waterhole who refused to spare him some water. He had attempted to reason with the buffalo, but his words fell on deaf ears, and he had gotten into a fight with the animal. Ahadi rescued him and later on reprimanded him, thinking that Mufasa had gone looking for trouble, and from that day on, Ahadi must have thought of Mufasa as a failure, which resulted in Scar taking over the throne.

Mufasa stopped pacing and sat down, glancing over at Simba, who was sleeping soundly. If he had been less foolish, maybe his father would have chosen him to be king. Mufasa wondered if Ahadi knew how the land was faring under Scar's reign. Maybe even right now he was regretting his decision. Maybe... Mufasa closed his eyes and sighed. His head was spinning with so many thoughts, some fresh air would help to clear his mind. "Come on a walk with me around the Pride Lands." Mufasa called out to Sarabi. They hadn't gone on a walk together ever since they had had Simba two months ago. The cream lioness quietly got up so she wouldn't disturb the other lionesses, licked Mufasa's face lovingly and they padded out of the cave side by side, pawsteps in unison.

**Hope you liked the chapter (sorry its short, apparently I'm not too good at writing long chapters) and be sure to review! :D *passes cookies to teamloki and neverlander22***


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi guys! Thanks for all the reads and reviews! :D This chapter will explore the personalities of the cubs (Simba, Kovu, Nala and Ashira), as well as a little of Mufasa's relationship with the cubs :) Time to reply to reviews! (My favourite part hehe) See you guys at the bottom, time to fly! XD**

**Neverlander22: Glad you understand! :) Mufasa and Sarabi are really sweet together hehe :) Thanks! I had to read the wikipedia entry for Scar before I truly understood his character, and was able to portray him as best I could :) Thanks for all your support, hope you like this chapter as well! ^^**

**LoveTheLionKing: Thanks! :D **

**Keep Calm And Join Team Loki: Your hunch may just be right ;) Thanks for the encouragement :D**

"C'mon, I'll race you, last one to Pride Rock is a flea-pelt!" Simba shouted playfully before bounding off.

"Hey, wait up!" Kovu scrambled after his play-mate and best friend. Pumped with the adrenaline of wanting to win, the two cubs were so engrossed in their race that they didn't notice Mufasa standing guard at the foot of Pride Rock, and crashed head-first into the older lion.

"Watch it you two, you'll scare all the prey for miles away!" Mufasa chided, stifling a laugh as he cuffed Kovu's and Simba's ears.

"Yeah flea-pelt, you'll scare all the prey for miles away!" Simba teased Kovu.

"The race wasn't fair, you had a head start, and besides, you're way older than me." Kovu protested. The two cubs made their way back to the den, squabbling all the way. When they got to the cave, they were greeted by Nala and Ashira, sisters who were just a few weeks younger than Simba.

"Why didn't you wait for us? We wanted to play too, you know. Do you have any idea how bored Ashira and I were, waiting for you come back?" Nala, the sandy brown cub accused.

"You two were sleeping when we got up, so we left without you." Kovu muttered guiltily, not daring to meet Nala's eyes. Nala had a feisty temper, but she was a good play-mate, as she was adventurous and daring.

Ashira, who had a beautiful russet-coloured pelt, sighed. "Its okay. We can always go and play tomorrow, but for now, lets stay within Pride Rock. The adults won't let us out after noon."

The other cubs nodded in agreement. Ashira was the wisest of the cubs, she always had the sense not to join in arguments, and she usually made peace as well. Ashira's statements and opinions were often respected and accepted by her peers, because they almost always seemed logical. The cubs entertained themselves for the rest of the day by play-fighting, pouncing on mice in the cave, and pitting their skills against one another, seeing who could jump the highest or who could roar the loudest. Mufasa entered the cave just as the cubs were practicing their roars, and he snorted in amusement, remembering the days when his roars were more like squeals.

"Let me show you how a real roar is done." Mufasa offered. He then let loose a ground shaking roar which made the cubs jump in surprise. Mufasa laughed, the warm memory of his father doing exactly the same thing to him and Scar flooding his mind.

"Wow, your roar is really loud, Uncle Mufasa!" Kovu exclaimed.

"When I grow up, I want to be just like you, Dad!" Simba's eyes sparkled with admiration.

"Please teach us how to roar, Uncle Mufasa!" Nala begged.

Mufasa was more than happy to teach the eager cubs. Besides, he had nothing to occupy his time for the few hours to sunset. Mufasa looked fondly at the cubs, their eyes shining with excitement. These cubs would grow up to be strong and capable adult lions. The Pride would be in good hands, Mufasa was sure of it.

**Hmm, Mufasa seems to be really good with the kids eh? :) Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it, and remember, I LOVE reviews ;) Free cake for those who review! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi guys! We meet again :) Sorry that I took longer than usual to update this chapter, but look on the bright side, this chapter is longer than the others :D I might not update as often as I could last time, because school is getting busier and homework is piling up, so if I don't update for sometime, don't worry about me, I'm probably busy :) This chapter is about Scar and Kovu, and a minor appearance of Mufasa :) Time to reply to reviews! ^^**

**Neverlander22: Thanks! :) You'll have to wait for future chapters to find out if you're right ;) I loved writing about the cubs, it was just so much fun to imagine how they would squabble with each other : Hope you like this chapter too ^^ Here's some cake for you :D **

**Keep Calm and Join Team Loki: Cake for you too! :) Ashira's eyes would be GREEN :D I always thought green eyes are cool :) **

**Elsie: You might or you might not be correct... ;) I've always thought of Mufasa as a lion who would be good with kids, so that's how I've portrayed him :) **

As soon as the rays of the rising sun crept over the Pride Lands, Scar slapped Kovu's muzzle lightly with his tail, and Kovu woke up with a start. "Come with me, my little prince. Its time you learnt something of use." Scar said in a low voice as he led a sleepy Kovu out of the cave and towards the peak of Pride Rock. Scar gestured for Kovu to sit beside him.

"Now Kovu, tell me what you see."

"Erm, I see lots of dry grass, some wildebeest grazing and-"

"No no no, tell me what you really see."

Kovu stared intently at the land, trying to see what his father saw. "I see the Pride Lands."

Scar sighed impatiently. "I suppose I'll have to tell you the answer, seeing how you're too stupid to possibly know. Everything you see is my kingdom, and it will belong to you when I pass away, and you become king. Mind you, it won't be anytime soon, but I have to teach you the ropes while you're still a cub. Today, I will teach you everything you possibly need to know to be a good king. Of course, you won't be as good a king as I am, but its alright. Expecting you to be as good as me is a far too unreasonable request."

Kovu hung his head and looked down at his paws. It seemed difficult to be king, being responsible for the entire Pride Lands, and his father's words didn't make him feel any better. "Why the glum face, Kovu? You have a date with the king, you should be honoured. Look, its about time we get into the real heat of things, so we'll be going to the grasslands." Scar purred, and made his way down Pride Rock, with Kovu right at his tail.

Just as the pair reached the foot of Pride Rock, Scar heard the thundering of paws and whipped around to see Mufasa standing two tail-lengths away.

"Scar, let me come with you. There have been hyenas in the Pride Lands recently, and you will need someone to protect you. I'll only be worried sick if I just let the two of you go out on your own. The king's life, as well as the prince's life are precious, we can't afford to lose either of you." Mufasa unsheathed and sheathed his claws.

"The hyenas are my loyal subjects, there's no reason to feel uneasy around them," Scar growled. "I think what you're trying to say, Mufasa, is that you don't trust me to take care of my own son."

"Scar, you don't understand. I only want to-"

"Enough, Mufasa! Just because you're my older brother, it doesn't mean you can tell me what to do." Scar roared angrily.

"Just because you're king, it doesn't mean you can do whatever you want." Mufasa said quietly.

Scar glared at Mufasa, before stalking off in the opposite direction.

"Don't turn your back on me, Scar!" Mufasa warned.

The dark lion glanced back at his brother. "Oh no, Mufasa. Perhaps you shouldn't turn your back on me." Flicking his tail for Kovu to follow, Scar held his head high and padded away. Kovu looked back at Mufasa, before hesitantly following his father.

"Aww, why couldn't Uncle Mufasa come?" Kovu asked as he walked alongside Scar.

"Well, Uncle Mufasa is always poking his nose where it doesn't belong, we don't need a lion like him with us. He doesn't even trust me to take care of my own son for goodness sake! " Scar spat. He suddenly stopped three body lengths away from a group of gazelles who were drinking at a muddy waterhole. The gazelles were bony and scrawny, and their ribs could be seen even from where Kovu was standing. The tall grass which had been green and lush in Mufasa's stories were now brown and wilted. Many animals had already migrated elsewhere in search of food and water, and Kovu could see why.

"See those gazelles? They're thriving because I take good care of the land and the animals in my kingdom. They're living proof that I'm an excellent ruler, regardless of what my brother thinks", Scar lifted his chin proudly. "A king needs to be a good hunter, so even if the pride can't find food, the king won't go hungry. The king's needs are above that of the pride, always remember that."

Kovu was shocked. How could his father be so blind? Did he not realise that the land was slowly dying under his reign? Did he not realise that he was a terrible king? According to Mufasa, ever since Scar had taken over the throne, it hadn't rained, not even once. It could be because of the dry season, like what his father claimed, or it could be because of Scar. Kovu shuddered. When he became king, he didn't want to be like his father who was oblivious to the fact that his kingdom was fading away. No, he wanted to be the king that Ahadi was. He wanted be the king who would bring hope to the Pride Lands.

**Yay so will Kovu live up to his dream? What about the rising tension between Scar and Mufasa? You'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out more! :) As always, review review review! :) Reviews give me encouragement and make me feel loved 3 Til the next chapter, Adios! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi guys, sorry this is so short, it would be kinda awkward to have a long chapter about Scar and Zira's intimacy *ahem* This chapter is mostly shipping hehe :) I didn't get many reviews for chapter 4 :( I'll make it a rule that I'll only update once there are 5 reviews for the most recent chapter, fair enough? :) Time to reply to the only review I got for chapter 4! **

**Keep Calm And Join Team Loki: Yeah Mufasa is quite like Ahadi in the bravery and fatherly sense :) You can try to guess what happens in the end, but no spoilers ^^ **

Scar and Zira were in their den, sharing a large chunk of wildebeest meat. Kovu was out playing with the other cubs, so Scar and Zira were alone.

"Mufasa is such an irritating pea-brained idiot who always sticks his nose where it doesn't belong! The other time when I brought Kovu out, he wanted to come along with us to "protect" us, but I suspect its because he doesn't trust me. Whatever I do, its none of his business, and he has to learn that. I can't seem to do anything at all without him interfering!" Scar growled through a mouthful of meat.

"You're the king now, I'm sure you'll be able to solve this small problem. You're doing such a wonderful job of governing the kingdom, Mufasa has no right to question you." Zira purred.

"I could deal with this brother of mine, but I'll have to wait for the right time..." Scar mumbled thoughtfully.

"What was that, dear?"

"Nothing," Scar replied hastily. "I was just worried about Kovu. He seems somewhat more aloof than he used to be. Do you happen to know why?"

"Don't worry too much about him, its probably just a phase he's going through. Just wait and see, he'll be back to normal before you know it." Zira said assuringly.

"I just hope you're right." Scar replied absent-mindedly.

Zira affectionately nuzzled Scar and inched closer to him, relishing the feeling of his warm body against hers. Scar stiffened for a moment, not knowing how to react. Then, he sighed and relaxed.

Scar couldn't understand. He had taken Zira as his mate because she was the only lioness who loved him, and they had had Kovu because he needed a future heir, but now he was feeling... affection towards her. In all his life, Scar couldn't recall a moment where he actually felt real and genuine love towards another lion. He supposed it wasn't a bad thing. He licked Zira's muzzle and gazed into her crimson-red eyes. His gaze softened when he saw the deep love that Zira felt for him reflected in her eyes. Zira purred loudly and soon, he was purring too.

"I love you, Zira." Scar murmured. The words felt foreign and strange on his tongue, but it was a pleasant sort of feeling.

"I love you too, Scar." Zira whispered back.

Just then, Sarabi appeared at the cave entrance, carrying a sorry-looking Kovu by the scruff of his neck. She gently placed him on the ground, and dipped her head towards Scar and Zira. "Your Majesty, Kovu is injured."

**Cookies for those who review! :) Remember, if you like my book (which I presume you do, if you've read this far) then review! :) I'm only updating once there are 5 reviews ;) **


	6. Chapter 6

**Here's the long-awaited (i hope :D) chapter 6! :) Sorry this took so long, I was really pumped about writing this chapter, but it was longer than I expected, so I had to take a longer time to write it :) Thanks for all the reviews for the previous chapter, I feel so loved ^^ This story has a tiny bit of romance, lets see if you can detect it ;) Time to reply to reviews yay ^^ **

**Kitsuneturner: Glad you like it! :) No spoilers, you shall just have to read on and find out ;)**

**Elsie: You bet he is! :O **

**Neverlander22: Thanks! :) I don't really like Zira's character either, but I just thought that she would be Scar's biggest fan (sort of) so I made her head over heels in love with Scar teehee! :) Kovu will be alright, cubs get better real fast :)**

**Aggregate Dragon: Well it may not result in someone getting blamed... ;) Thanks for your support! :) **

**The Ghost Who Walks1: Yeah, Scar does have a heart you know! :) **

**Lovethe lionking: You'll have to read on to find out, and yes Mufasa does make a great babysitter as well as bodyguard yeah? :)**

Kovu padded alongside Ashira, briefly glancing at Simba and Nala who were walking behind them. Kovu had always admired Ashira for her level-headedness and wisdom. He, on the other hand seemed to be the exact opposite. He was constantly getting into trouble, and whenever he tried to impress her, he always ended up making a fool of himself. Kovu wasn't quite sure about his feelings for Ashira, he only knew that he felt something which couldn't be described with words. It was as if he... longed to be with her, forever and always.

"Let's have a race! First one to that big tree over there wins!" Simba challenged, interrupting Kovu's thoughts.

Kovu's heart leapt. This was his chance to prove to Ashira what a fast runner he was!

"Bring it on!" Nala shouted, refusing to back down.

"Sure, a race will be fun!" Ashira said, her tail swishing in excitement.

"You're not going to win this time!" Kovu nudged Simba playfully, sounding braver than he felt. If he didn't win, he would look like such a failure to Ashira, and he didn't want that to happen.

"Ready, get set, go!" All four cubs bounded off, each fired up with the determination to win. Kovu and Simba slowly inched ahead, and before long, they were way ahead of the female cubs. Suddenly, they heard hooves pounding on the dried-up grasslands and whipped around, only to see Ashira and Nala running from a herd of stampeding wildebeest.

"Run!" Nala shrieked, her voice full of fear. Ashira's ears were flat against her head, and her green eyes sparkled with worry. The cubs ran as hard as they could, but they were no match for the wildebeest. Soon, the cubs were surrounded by the hoofed animals, with no clear way out. Simba and Nala tried to run through the maze of hooves, weaving in and out of the wildebeests' legs, and against all odds, made it safely out. Kovu tried to outrun the herd, but stopped when he heard a cry of alarm. When he looked back, he saw Ashira crouching in the middle of the stampeding beasts, shivering in fear. Kovu turned around, and struggled against the oncoming wildebeest. When he finally reached Ashira, he crouched down beside her and gave her a reassuring look.

"Kovu, you don't have to do this." Ashira smiled weakly, her words almost drowned out by the pounding of hooves.

"I'm doing this because I want to." Kovu said bravely. He huddled close to Ashira, protecting her from the wildebeests as best as he could with his small frame. Suddenly, Kovu heard a sickening crack, and felt a sharp pain in his left hind foot. It was all he could do to stop himself from crying out. Ashira glanced worriedly at him, and Kovu looked away, afraid that he would whimper if he caught her eye. Just when Kovu thought the stampede would never end, the last of the wildebeest galloped off into the distance. Simba and Nala ran over to Kovu and Ashira, panting heavily.

"Are you guys okay?" Nala asked, deeply concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just some cuts and scrapes, that's all." Kovu put up a brave front so that his companions wouldn't worry.

"The stampede was so scary! I wonder what agitated them like that." Simba thought out loud.

"I think it may have been our race which panicked the wildebeest. We must have been upwind from them, and when they detected our scent, they stampeded." Ashira explained. Accepting her explanation, the cubs started back towards Pride Rock. Kovu's hind foot hurt tremendously, and although he tried to hide the fact, he still walked with a limp.

"Kovu, what's wrong? You're favouring your hind foot!" Nala exclaimed.

"I guess it got trampled by one of the wildebeest, but I'll be alright. I'll get my foot treated by Rafiki as soon as we get back, I promise." Kovu said nonchalantly. He determinedly led the way back to Pride Rock, trying to prove that he was fine. When the cubs got back to their den at Pride Rock, Mufasa and Sarabi immediately went up to them.

"What happened to you? Why are you in such a state?" Sarabi licked and fussed over each cub in turn.

"We kind of got into trouble, but we're okay now." Simba mumbled.

"Kovu's hind foot got trampled on by a wilderbeest, he has to get it treated by Rafiki." Ashira blurted, before looking guiltily at Kovu.

"What? How could you cubs be so careless? Your parents will have to know about this." Mufasa said, shaking his mighty head.

"No! Please don't tell my parents, I'll get into trouble!" Kovu pleaded.

"Kovu, your parents have to know about this. Don't you think that your health is something of importance to them? I'll get Rafiki to take a look at your leg, then we'll break the news to Scar and Zira." Sarabi said gently, before picking Kovu up by the scruff of his neck. Rafiki was in his tree hollow, sorting out his medicine supplies.

"Sarabi!" Rafiki greeted the lioness warmly. "Is there anything you need help with?"

Sarabi placed Kovu in front of the wise baboon, and dipped her head. "Kovu's hind foot got trampled on by a wildebeest, and he needs treatment immediately."

"Oh dear, hees foot looks like its got a few fractured bones, as well as a broken claw." Rafiki muttered as he examined Kovu's leg. "Nothing to worry about though, hee will get better in a week or two. You know cubs, they recover real fast. I'll wrap his foot with some leaves which were soaked in my special ointment, so hee won't injure it any further." Rafiki continued cheerfully.

"This will hurt a leetle bit." Rafiki warned, and Kovu winced in pain as the monkey's nimble hands swiftly bandaged his foot.

"There you go!" Rafiki stepped back to admire his handiwork. Sarabi thanked Rafiki, before picking Kovu up and heading towards the Scar's den. The King and Queen were alone in the cave when they arrived. Sarabi gently placed Kovu on the ground, and dipped her head towards Scar and Zira. "Your Majesty, Kovu is injured."

Scar stood up, enraged yet worried. "I want an explanation. Now." Scar demanded. Kovu then recounted the series of events, from the race, to the stampede, then to his injury.

"Kovu, I'm very disappointed in you. You're the prince and the future king of the Pride Lands, how could you have been so careless and stupid? You could have died for goodness' sake! Then what would your mother and I do?" Scar shouted. "From now on, if you so much as step out of Pride Rock, you have to have an adult accompany you." Scar growled.

"Scar, aren't you being a little-" Zira started.

"Silence! You don't know anything! I just don't want to lose Kovu!" Scar snapped. Zira sighed, and flicked her tail, indicating that Sarabi and Kovu should leave. Kovu hung his head and slowly limped out of the cave with Sarabi padding alongside him.

**Well, that could have been worse :P Review review review, your reviews always make my day! ^^ Updating only when there's 5 reviews hehe :)**


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